Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Systems Evaluation
- Writing
Key knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Design
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Telecommunications
What the work involves
- Modify, maintain, or repair electronics equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
- Set up and operate specialized or standard test equipment to diagnose, test, or analyze the performance of electronic components, assemblies, or systems.
- Read blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings, or engineering instructions for assembling electronics units, applying knowledge of electronic theory and components.
- Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions, working with manufacturers or field representatives as necessary to procure replacement parts.
- Assemble electrical systems or prototypes, using hand tools or measuring instruments.
- Review electrical engineering plans to ensure adherence to design specifications and compliance with applicable electrical codes and standards.
- Assemble, test, or maintain circuitry or electronic components, according to engineering instructions, technical manuals, or knowledge of electronics, using hand or power tools.
- Review existing electrical engineering criteria to identify necessary revisions, deletions, or amendments to outdated material.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (34% of expert ratings)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (58%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (22.9%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 84% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 61% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Higher on teamwork than 57% of occupations compared | 69% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Moderate | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 56% of occupations compared | — |
| Time pressure | Low | Lower on time pressure than 78% of occupations compared | — |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 90% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 75% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Consequence of error | High | Higher on consequence of error than 66% of occupations compared | 26% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Contact with others about half the time: 8.1%
- Contact with others most of the time: 43.05%
- Constant contact with others: 29.72%
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 6.19%
- Fairly important: 25.47%
- Important: 22.76%
- Very important: 38.19%
- Extremely important: 7.4%
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 4.49%
- Important: 23.36%
- Very important: 3.41%
- Extremely important: 68.74%
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 21.22%
- Limited freedom: 3.66%
- Some freedom: 21.89%
- A lot of freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 22.18%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 21.18%
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: 12.27%
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: 39.02%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 25.99%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 16.73%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 18.26%
- Every day: 0%
n = 25, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 41.96%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 9.24%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 19.5%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 29.29%
- Every day: 0%
n = 24, Incumbent 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 17.23%
- Fairly serious: 7.53%
- Serious: 25.92%
- Very serious: 23.21%
- Extremely serious: 26.1%
n = 24, Incumbent 08/2026
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O*NET-SOC 17-3023.00 · SOC 17-3023 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8